1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to sign holders, and more specifically, to a sign holder allowing for rapid insertion and removal of signs formed from thin, planar sheet material.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Signs and sign holders are old in the art. Several holders have been proposed for holding thin signs. Miller, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,757,443 describes a sign having two facing rectangular boards that abut at their tips and ends, but are bowed apart at the midpoint of their bottoms. A short block is connected to the bottoms of the respective panels at a midpoint of the panels, such panels being secured to the block by means of locking screws. The block includes a groove for receiving a single card-type sign that is anchored by means of the locking screws. However, Miller discloses that such a sign does not have the wind resistance of the two-panel sign and would be useful primarily for indoor applications.
Another device is described by Hubbell in U.S. Pat. No. 2,530,821. Hubbell discloses a bulletin sheet holder support in which the sheet is hung from its upper end. This device has first and second interconnected flanges arranged in a general U-shape which is downward facing, the first flange for mounting on a flat vertical wall surface. A flexible blade extends from the extremity of the second flange across the holder and contacts the first flange. Sheet material to be held by the holder is slipped up between the blade and the first flange. After insertion the weight of the material, when released, will draw the blade downward setting up a binding action between the blade, the flange and the sheet material. The structure of the holder described by Hubbell does not solve the problem addressed by applicant since the holder is utilized in indoor applications, the sheet in the holder lies against a flat vertical wall and the sheet is hung from the top. Thus, the sheet would be incapable of rotating away from the wall not due to the constructional features of the holder, but by virtue of the sheet's abutment with the wall. Additionally, securement of the sheet in the holder relies upon the downward pull of the material on the blade.
Yet another commercially-available holding device has a vertical wall portion having a pair of single leaf pressure-applying springs in contact with the lower portion of the wall. A sign is held between the wall and the springs. Upon insertion of a sign in the holder, the springs urge the sign against the flat wall for the purpose of securing the sign in the holder. The holder, however, suffers from inability to withstand the force of winds on the sign, since the sign in response to such winds is capable of rotating about the springs and out of the holder. Additionally, in order for the springs to apply sufficient pressure on the sign against the wall at the lower portion of the wall, the spring must be relatively stiff. Consequently, the device is characterized in that the sign may be readily inserted but fairly difficult to remove.
The present invention overcomes the aforementioned deficiencies.